This invention generally relates to automotive vehicles with convertible roofs and, more particularly, to an automotive vehicle that uses a tonneau cover system in conjunction with the convertible roof.
Traditional soft-top convertible roofs for automotive vehicles typically employ three, four or five roof bows, having an inverted U-shape spanning transversely across the vehicle for supporting a vinyl, canvas or polyester fiber pliable roof cover. A number one roof bow is mounted to a pair of front roof rails and is typically latched to a stationary front header panel of the automotive vehicle body disposed above the front windshield. A number two roof bow is typically mounted to a pair of center roof rails which are pivotally connected to the front roof rails. Furthermore, a number three, four and five roof bows are commonly mounted to a pair of rear roof rails which are pivotally coupled to the center roof rails. The roof cover can also have a hard or rigid portion along with the pliable portion. For example, reference should be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,409 entitled “Convertible Top”, which is incorporated by reference herein. Most traditional convertible roofs are stowed in a bootwell or a stowage compartment that is located aft of a passenger compartment in the vehicle. A tonneau cover is then used to cover the bootwell and conceal the convertible roof from view and/or protect the stowed roof from the environment.
When the convertible roof is designed to reside above and/or on top of the tonneau cover when in the raised position, linkages on the sides of the convertible roof may extend above the tonneau cover. The extension of the linkages above the tonneau cover requires a cutout or recessed area within the tonneau cover to allow the linkages to extend from beneath the tonneau cover to above the tonneau cover. The recess or opening in the tonneau cover, however, can provide an undesirable appearance when the convertible roof is stowed and the tonneau cover is covering the stowed convertible roof. That is, the openings or recesses on the sides of the tonneau cover do not cover up the convertible roof and may result in an aesthetically non-pleasing appearance.
To prevent such a non-pleasing appearance, side covers can be employed to cover up the openings or recesses when the convertible roof is in the stowed position. Such side covers can be separate stand alone covers that are manually positioned or can be automatically positioned once the convertible roof is in the stowage compartment. Heretofore, such automatic operation has typically been performed by the use of independent actuators to actuate the motion of the side covers and/or driving the movement of the side panels with the movement of the tonneau cover.
In accordance with the present invention, a tonneau cover system is provided which uses a unique and novel way to control the movement of a side cover. The system utilizes a drum that is coupled to the side cover and a cable which is coupled to the drum. Movement of the cable causes the cover to move between open and closed positions. In another aspect of the present invention, an automotive vehicle system having a tonneau cover system is disclosed. Movement of the retractable roof between raised and stowed positions causes the side cover of the tonneau cover system to move between its open and closed positions.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of operating a retractable roof and tonneau cover system is disclosed wherein movement of the retractable roof between the raised and stowed positions drives movement of the side cover between the open and closed positions.
The present invention is advantageous in that the side cover is driven directly by movement of the retractable roof. Such direct coordination of the movement facilitates the coordination of the timing of the movements of the retractable roof with the movements of the side cover. Furthermore, the present invention is advantageous in that it provides a simple mechanical mechanism to move the cover between its open and closed positions. Additional objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.